Actor Gulshan Devaiah is on cloud nine, after receiving tremendous praise from audiences for his performance as Kulashekhara in Rishab Shetty's latest Kantara: Chapter 1. Overwhelmed by all the love, the actor has been reposting social media users' experience on watching the film and their views on his work in the period drama—even when it is criticism.
When a X user shared a photo of him and wrote that his performance comes across like a "gay character", and it doesn’t give the charm that a king has, he replied in a composed tone that he "doesn't have a problem with the gay reference."
He wrote, "Ok guru. I welcome your opinion. Nimma abhipraya nimma hakku. Bad words enu use madliwalla. I don’t have any problem with the gay reference.. it’s perfectly normal and nothing bad about it. En bejar illa guru."
Earlier, he wrote in a cheeky way that he is "tired" of hearing his name in the last few days. "Please don't stop!!…. Keep the appreciation coming. Just because I’m tired doesn’t mean you get tired too," he added.
Refusing to engage in the age-old debate comparing Bollywood or its audience with the regional cinema, Gulshan proudly declared that he belongs to the "cinema and art."
One of the x users shared on his page, “Thats the difference between Hindi and non-Hindi audience. For Hindi audience you are an actor ashte but the regional audience own you. Eva nammava eva nammava.”
Responding with love, the Ulajh actor shared, “I wholeheartedly welcome your sentiment.. I’m overwhelmed and grateful.. Yella namma naadu, yella namma nudi (All our land, all our language)… I belong to cinema and art."
Kantara: Chapter 1, written and directed by Rishab Shetty has been winning unanimous praise for its narrative, performances, storytelling, craft and visual extravaganza and is running with full-house crowds in Karnataka and other states. The film has already crossed the Rs 100 crore mark within two days of release and is well on its way to beat the Rs 150 crore mark as well. It is produced by Vijay Kiragandur and Chaluve Gowda under Hombale Films.
Our CE review of the film read, "Rishab builds this world with care. The Kadamba-era backdrop, with busy ports, spice markets, and trade routes influenced by Arab and Portuguese cultures, is more than decorative history; it feels lived-in. Rituals unfold, battles rage in mud and blood, and even trade carries significance."
Kantara: Chapter 1, a prequel to the 2022 Rishab Shetty directorial, Kantara, also features the director in the lead role as Kaadubettu Shiva. Rukmini Vasanth, Gulshan Devaiah, and Jayaram are new additions to the cast, who are seen in prominent roles. Pramod Shetty, Rakesh Poojari, Prakash Thuminad, Deepak Rai Panaje, Hariprashanth MG, Shaneel Gautham and Naveen Bondel round out the cast of the film.
Kantara: Chapter 1, set during the Kadamba dynasty in pre-colonial Karnataka, follows the Bhuta Kola ritual, which became deeply rooted in the culture, laying the groundwork for the emergence of Kaadubettu Shiva.